


Happy Yol

by LiteratiGeek



Category: Vikings (TV)
Genre: F/M, Missing Scene
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-13
Updated: 2016-03-13
Packaged: 2018-05-26 09:34:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,562
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6233488
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LiteratiGeek/pseuds/LiteratiGeek
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>My take on what I believe should have been an extension to the first scene between Rollo and Gisla in the episode "Yol" (4x04). Depending on reaction I might go on and write my interpretation of other scenes I believe were needed, should Hirst have deemed them worthy instead of rushing to see Bjorn disembowel a mountain man, or Ragnar's 5 minute acid trip.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Happy Yol

“Why?”

“Why?”

 “Why is it important to you?” Gisla questioned. She had yet to pull her hand away, her fingers still clutched about the metal band. She could still feel his own against hers. His hand was softer than she would have imagined, but she could still feel the hard earned callouses from his past life. She watched as he took a deep breath. She could see him searching for the words. It was true he had learned their language, but it still seemed to take something out of him to speak it.

“With…my people, when a boy reaches the age to be a man he pledges his loyalty and respect to the earl. He pledges to fight for the earl, and honor him. In return, the earl gives him an arm ring, so that all others might see and know of his loyalty and respect to the earl.” Rollo explained with a nod.

Gisla looked down at the metal band again. Slowly her husband had let go as he spoke. She now held it on her own. Her eyes studied it. How the light reflected in the curves and twists of metal.

_His loyalty and respect._

“It was the last thing holding me to my people. To my earl,” He added, watching her. Finally, she looked back up to him.

“Why not give it to my father? Is he not your _earl_ now?” Gisla asked curiously. Her husband gave a small smile in return, as if he had anticipated she would ask this of him.

“I am giving it to you.” He replied simply. She looked back down at the arm ring, finally lowering it from holding it up between them. “Why is it you were on that wall during the battle?”

Gisla looked at him quickly, surprised by the question. The first time they ever saw one another. The first time she locked eyes with that heathen. Why had she been so drawn to him? And he to her; he nearly died because she held his attention.

“I thought…I was bringing a sacred banner for the soldiers. It had provided strength and courage to our men before, in another battle some time ago. I thought if they saw it again, it would do the same for them. I begged my father to do it himself, to be among his men like his grandfather. But he would not, so I did it myself.” She explained.

“Well, it worked…you beat us that battle.” Rollo replied with a smile, “And I am giving it to you.” He repeated with a nod to the arm ring, as if that explained it. She gave a small smile in return, not exactly meeting his gaze. A silence fell between them. Gisla felt confused, like a buzzing gnat near her ear. She had been so sure that morning. For months, she had been sure. But had she truly?

“Might I plead one more case?” Rollo questioned, “I believe the priest right. We have not been married.”

“Not truly.” She interrupted, “With the church.”

“Yes, that too, but a marriage is more than that. To be married is more than that…you do not know me.” Rollo pointed out, “You know my brother…you know my people, or what you think you know of them, but how is it you do not know that you would not like to be married to me?” Rollo questioned. Gisla started to answer but she could not. Truly, she did not know this man. She had assumed and judged, but apart from his name…she had not been given the chance. He had not been given the chance either, she supposed. But he seemed more sure than she.

_His destiny was to be with her._

 “This is your choice, Gisla, if you no longer wish to be married to me. I will not force you.”

His words caused her to pause before raising her gaze once more to look to him.

_He would not force her._

_It was her choice._

“Do you know the morning my father sent the envoy to you, propositioning the treaty and my hand in marriage he did not tell me until after the envoy had been sent?” Gisla questioned. “I had no choice in the matter, and when I protested he all but threatened me.”  She watched her husband’s face falter. “My only hope was that the envoy would return with word that you had rejected the terms.”

“No…I had suspected you were not happy with the decision…but I did not know this.”

“It is true.

His gaze now dropped for a moment. He seemed unsure now. Both remained silent for a time. Gisla reached over, picking up the papers the delegation had brought with him. Rollo’s arm ring remained around her fingers under the leather.

“If your words are true, and I can trust you…you have now given me two things my father never did.” Gisla noted looking up to him, “You admitted freely, without grudge and with appreciation that I was correct in my actions on the wall, and I thank you.” She noted with a small smile, “And you have given me a choice.”

“The delegation is true, by the church we are not married. We have not been one as man and wife. And so, in a sense, you are proposing. You are proposing marriage, and giving me a choice to accept or reject you.” Gisla explained.

“You can trust me.” Rollo insisted, his words stern.

“Do you promise?” Gisla question, raising the hand where his arm ring was still clutched. “Do you vow to be loyal to me?” Rollo’s eyes moved from the arm ring to her, a smile twitching at the corner of his lips.

“I vow to be loyal to you…to trust you, and respect you. To protect you.” Rollo told her, his eyes never wavering from hers.

“Then I accept.” Gisla replied simply, “I will marry you.” She added, a smile etching on her lips. She glanced down only briefly, her fingers finding the parchment bound in the leather and tore them from it. She tore it in half and placed them back inside. She closed the leather and sat it back on the table beside her. She looked back to her husband to see him washed in relief. He had seemed finally to breathe with her words.

“I am glad.” He admitted, smiling himself.  His hand reached up, fingers brushing through his beard as if he meant to hide the true joy he felt in that moment. “Uh…when?” He asked after a moment, his voice just a bit lower than before.

Gisla’s eyes widened and she could feel a gentle blush creep across her cheeks. She took a deep breath, making a point to find his gaze again.

“I suppose this evening.” Gisla reasoned with a nod. Her husband returned the gesture.

“Later…then?” He questioned, once more looking to her to make the choice. She took another deep breath; this was quick for something she had been putting off for so long.

“Um…just a bit, I…I need to ready myself.” Gisla assured him, trying to remember what she had been told to do all those months ago when it had been presumed she would go through this much sooner after the ceremony.

“Ready yourself?” Rollo questioned.

“Yes.” Gisla said simply in a tone that projected he need not ask further questions. “This gown is very difficult to remove without assistance.” She added in a softer voice.

“Alright,” Rollo smiled, a breathless laugh escaping his lips.

“Then…I will meet you in our chambers.”

“Yes.”

The two stood in silence once more. Gisla was not sure what the best way to depart was, but she felt like running to the door. She reasoned with herself that it would not be proper to do so and settled with a single step to the side. Her husband didn’t move. She took another, and then suddenly a thought occurred to her.

She turned back and looked up to her husband.

“Might I ask you something, and trust you will treat it with the truth?” Gisla asked.

“I have yet to lie to you.” Rollo pointed out.

“Yes…I suppose that is true.” Gisla smiled, and paused only a brief moment before going on, “I merely…I presume you have done this before?”

“Yes, I have done this before.” Rollo replied with a nod, his eyes glancing off to the side.

“Does it truly hurt?” She questioned. Quickly he looked back to her, his brow creasing.

“Who told you it hurt?” He asked.

Gisla sighed, her turn to look away from him in embarrassment, “A priest…some days before our ceremony.”

“Ah…well, I do not know from your side…it does not for myself.” Rollo admitted, “But I promise, I will try to not make it hurt.” He told her, his voice lowering again.

Gisla looked to him, a gentle smile of gratitude on her lips, “Thank you.” She whispered in return. “Wait a time…and then I will meet you.”

“Should we tell them?” Rollo asked, his gaze looking towards the doors where he assumed the party waited on the other side. Gisla followed his gaze.

“No…we will be the only ones to know…for a time at least.”

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this pretty quickly, way more than I normally do. I apologize for mistakes. I wanted to get it up before the next episode, and happened to be in the mood now. 
> 
> Let me know if you liked it or if you'd like to see other scenes. I know a large complaint on Tumblr was it seemed rushed, and I agree. Right now I have thoughts for at least one more possibly two scenes.


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